Was the Call of Islam Spread by the Sword? By Imam Hassan al Banna

According to Imam Hassan Al Banna

The enemies of Islam have, throughout history, accused Islam with this allegation. Indeed Islam has never forced people to believe in it, nor placed swords on their necks to push them to bear witness to what it has born witness to, or submit to its doctrine, in any way. This assertion is very much mistaken for a variety of reasons: 1) It is wrong because history tells us that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH.) lived in Makkah thirteen years calling people to the religion of Islam under much persecution by its occupants at the time. He faced hostility and torture even from his own family and the nearest people to him, nevertheless he persevered and endured the pain of isolation and marginalisation. He used to walk past his companions being tortured saying no more than: "Patience O people for your destination is Paradise." Nevertheless, many of those early believers kept their will and faith. The Ansar, the people of Madeenah, also accepted him as the messenger of Allah following a brief encounter with him during the Hajj season after which a convoy came to offer him their oath of allegiance finally leading to the covenant of Al-Aqabah- the covenant which ultimately lead to the great emigration of the Prophet. In all of this the Prophet did not meet his enemies with the sword, but he used to persevere and be patient with good manners and modesty, saying: "O Lord! Forgive my people for they Know not." The permission to fight was not received from Allah by revelation until the second year after Hijrah, after the enemies of Islam had increased in number and had begun to provoke him and plot against him. Allah sent these verses in which one finds the most magnificent examples of the nobility of purpose, and of the reasons for war:

 ‘Permission to fight is given to those who (i.e. believers against disbelievers), who are being fought because they (believers) have been wronged, and surely, Allah is Able to give them (believers) victory - those who have been expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: "Our Lord is Allah" - For had it not been that Allah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allah is mentioned much would surely have been pulled down. Verily, Allah will help those who help His Cause. Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty. Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) order for the establishment of prayer, to pay charity, and they enjoin goodness and forbid evil. And with Allah rests the end of (all) matters.’ (Surat-al-Hajj (22), ayahs 39-41) .

History tells us that the companions of the messenger of Allah entered the lands with their good conduct and honest dealings before they conquered them with their swords, armaments and numbers. For, it is inconceivable that a small number of Arabs could subvert the throne of Kisra (Persia), flatten the kingdom of Rome and inherit the world after these huge civilisations, in the short while that they did. It is unimaginable that eight thousand soldiers could conquer a vast region the size of Egypt, and spread their religion, culture and http://www.islambasics.com 25 belief with force and imposition. It is through kind discourse and beautiful treatment that they were able to achieve what they had achieved. From this it can been seen why peoples used to crave for the return of the Muslims after they had left, so how can it be said that Islam was founded on the sword or spread by it.

2) It is also refuted by the verses in the Holy Qur’an that affirm freedom of conviction by saying in all clarity and honesty:

    ‘There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the right path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in the tyranny and believes in Allah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And Allah is the All-Hearer, All-Knower.’
                                         (Surat-al-Baqarah (2), ayah 256)

He Also says:
                    And say: "the truth is from your Lord.", then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills let him disbelieve.’
                                         (Surat-al-Kahf (18), ayah 29)

Allah also says:
                    And if anyone of the disbelievers seeks your protection, so that they hear the Word of Allah, then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.’
                                        (Surat-at-Tauba(9), ayah 6)

These verses bind the believers such that if anyone among the disbelievers asks them for clarification they must explain the message and simplify the objectives of Islam to him, then protect him till he reaches his place of security, and leave him to reach a decision through personal conviction and not through fear and compulsion.

3) It is false because the pillars of Islam and what was practised in accordance with them refutes it in the strongest possible terms. For the basis of belief in Islam is rationality, contemplation and deep conviction:

‘The Bedouins say: "We believe." Say: "You believe not but only say, ‘We have surrendered (to Islam),’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts’ (Surah Al-Hujuraat (49), ayah 14) 

An Open Letter To Donald Trump--By Karam Elahi

Dear Mr.Donald Trump!

I write to you from a small village they call Global village. I write to you not because you may not know , but to reflect once more on your anti-Muslim rhetoric, for sometimes one tends to get carried away in the claptrap of enthusiastic audience. And I write to you not as an adherent of this or that religion but as a dweller of this small village, where the only lasting ,universal and undisputed denomination is humanity. I have twice visited the US, each time financed by US,and found it a great country, inhabited by great people, and I learnt great many things from that country, its system and its people.

I learnt that USA is a great power, not because of its arsenal, to borrow President Obama's words, or that it has economic hit-men, in the words of John Perkins, but that it has lived by the much-cherished ideals of freedom, equality, fraternity, democracy, pluralism and tolerance;Ideals for which the American people even had to fight the Civil War.

I learnt that America is great not because it belong to the Irish immigrants, or the spanish immigrants or other immigrants who settled in the USA over the past several centuries, but that it belongs to every citizen of the USA, irrespective of the country from which he or she ot thier forefathers, like yours, originally migrated.

I learnt that once the USA was also small :it persecuted the indigenous people, discriminated adherents of other faiths, thrived on slave trade, and life was "hasty, brutish, and short", but then USA produced great visionaries , who made USA great, not simply by the power of "dream speech" but through great sacrifices during the War of Independance ,the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement.

I learnt that today USA is greatly because no one is discriminated on the basis of his color, creed, culture , religion and ethnicity. There is no department of religious affairs or department of culture: USA is a multi-cultural , multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-lingual society, united by the bond of humanity and American Nationality.

But now your fiery speeches reminiscent of that trigger-happy ever furious Fuhrer as they are , seem like you intend to return to the past by jeopardizing the future, not only of this beautiful,prosperous, mighty and peaceful country USA but also of the world at large. Your anti-Muslim speeches will win few friends but many enemies. It will not strengthen but weaken the greatness that is America.Banishing or banning the Muslims or any other religious community will reduce mighty USA into a pygmy.

I just want to remind you , if you have forgotten in the frenzy of your obsession to become Mr President , that USA is not a monolith but a mosaic , comprising a myriad of religious communities, ethnic identities, cultural traditions and linguistic heritages. The only indigenous Americans are a dwindling trace of natives, confined to 'reservations'. Everyone else in the USA, from the president to the street vendor, is an immigrant or the descendent of an immigrant.

And before I wind up my letter, let me give you a tip for your journey ahead: the road to presidency does ot demand dirty politics, chauvinistic overtones, hate speeches, Islamophobia and fanaticism: it requires belief in the ideals of the founding fathers; it needs a manifesto promoting a liberal and tolerant society; it demands positive policy  prescriptions tailored to the welfare of American people; it obilges you to remain polite, composed, balanced, impartial, inclusive, moderate and in one word AMERICAN!
Best wishes & good health, physical and mental!

Sincerely,
Karam Elahi Sahibzada

Social Rights to a Daughter--By Dr Zakir Naik

Islam prohibits ,female infanticide .The killing of female children is forbidden in Islam.It is mentioned in suraah taqweem ,ch-81,verse no 8 and 9 'when the female child is buried alive and when she questions you , for what crime was she killed'.Not only female infanticide has been prohibited , all sorts of infanticides has been prohibited in Islam, whether it be a male child or female child.

It is mention in the Qur'an in surah Anam chapter 6, verse no 151 that 'kill not your children for want of sustenance for it is God that will provide sustenanace for you and for children'.A similar thing is mentioned in surah Isra,chapter 17,verse no 31 which says ..'kill not your children for want of sustenance ,for it is God that will provide sustenance to you and your children ,for killing of children is a major sin'.

In the pre-Islamic Arabia, whenever a female child was born mostly she was buried alive.
Alhamdulillah ,after the spread of Islam this evil practice has been discontinued.But unfortunately  it still continues in India.According to a BBC Report ,in the program assignment the title of which was 'LET HER DIE',there was a British reporter by the name of Emily Beckenen , who came all the way from Britain to India to give us the statistics of the female infanticide.

In that program ,It gives the statistics ,that everyday more than 3000 fetuses are being aborted on being identified that they are females.If you multiply this figure by the number of days, that is multiplied by 365 ,you get a figure of more than one million female fetuses are being aborted every year in our country.

And there are big hoarding and posters in states like Tamil Nadu and Rajstan ,which says spend 500 rupees and save 5 lakh Rupees.

what does it mean?That spend rupees 500 on medical examination like Aminocententus or Ultra sonography ,and identify the gender of child.

If is is female you can abort it and you will save 5 Lakh rupees-How?

The couple of Lakhs you spend on upbringing her and the remaining lakhs of rupees you spend on giving dowry to the man who will marry her.

According to the report of the Government Hospital of Tamil Nadu -'out of every 10 female children that are born ,four are put to death '-no wonder the female population in India is less than the male population.

Female infanticide was continuing in India since centuries .If you analyze the statistics of the 1901 census ,for every thousand males you have 934 females.And the latest statistics of 1991 tells you that for every 1000 males you have 927 females.

you can analyze that the female ratio is dropping every year .And since science and medicine has advanced ,It has helped in the evil practice .

Just because Islam tells you that you should not kill any children whether it be male or female will you call these rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated?

Qur'an not only prohibits female infanticide , it rebukes at the thought of you rejoicing at the birth of a male child and getting saddened at the birth of a female child.

In Islam a daughter should be brought up correctly .In Islam there should be no partiality in upbringing of the daughter ot the son.

According to a Hadith ,'In the presence of the Prophet Muhammad ,once a man kissed his son and placed him on his lap but did not do the same to his daughter'.
The prophet immediatley objected and said that you are unjust  - you should have even kissed your daughter and placed her on the other lap.

The Qualities of True Believers--By Sayyid Qutb

The Suraah Opens with three Arabic letters:"ALIF ,LAM, MIM"(Verse 1)This is immediately followed by the statment :"This is the book ,there is no doubt about it,a guidance for the God-fearing".(Verse 2)

Several Suraahs in the Qur'an begin with a combination of Arabic letters in this way ,and interpretation of these abstract opening very quite widely.The one we tend to favour is that these are meant to emphasize the fact that the Qur'an is a book composed of the letters of the Arabic Language ,in the same way as they are used by the Arabs who were the first people addressed by the divine revelation .Nevertheless,it is such an unparalleled and transcendent work that no Arab writer,using the same letters and the same language ,could ever match its majesty and power.Rivals are repeatedly challenged to compose a Book similar to it ,or only ten surahs ,or even a single surah,of matching Qualitiy.No one has ever been able to take up the challenge.

This is true for all God's creation .soil for example ,is made up of elements of known properties.The best man has been able to make out of soil is bricks ,tiles,Vessels and structures of various types and uses ,which are in some cases very sophisticated.But using these same elements ,God has created life ,the one outstanding secret that remains for beyond man's intellectual and creative abilities.

Similarly the same letters and words that ordinary people ,speaking the language of the Qur'an ,use to articulate expressions and convey meanings and concepts,are used by God to produce the Qura'n as definitive book stating the final and absolute distinction between truth and falsehood.A comparison between Man's work and the work of God is simply not possible ;it is comparison between the image and the reality ,between the deadbody and the living soul.

"This is the book ;there is no doubt about it a guidance for the God-fearing".(verse 2)
The key word in this statment is 'guidance '.it expresses the essence and the nature of the Qur'an .But guidance for whom?who are the people who will find that this Book provides them with light,direction and true counsel.?they are the God-fearing.

Once a man's heart is filled with the fear of God ,he will benefit by the Qur'an.fear and consciousness of God is the quality that open's one's mind to the true guidance contained in the Qura'n and allows it to have its proper effect on one's life.It is the factor that causes one's heart and mind to become sensitive and receptive to God's guidance and enables one to respond to his call and his instruction.

Anyone seeking the benefit and Godly wisdom of the Qura'n must approach it with an open mind and a pure heart .One must also approach it with perception and sensitivity,and with a determination not to fall by the wayside or be tempted away from god.Then,and only then will the marvels and treasures of the Qur'an be opened and reavealed  ,and their light and wisdom will pour into this apprehnsive ,alert and welcoming heart.

It is reported that 'Umar Bin AL Khitab 'a close companion of the prophet and his second successor ,asked the learned companion ,Ubayy ibn ka'b ,about the true meaning of 'fear of God'.

Ubayy asked umar "have you ever walked along a throny road?"yes Certainly umar replied.
Ubayy asked again ,"how did you manage to get throug it?"'umar replied ',"I gathered up my clothes and tried my best to avoid the thorns".

"This is precisely what God-fearing is like",said ubayy

Organization -compulsory for both men and women -- by Dr Israr Ahmed

Nonetheless,I believe that jama'ah (organization) is necessary for both men and women.It provides a positive environment in which we take inspiration from others.It is while being a part of this collective existence that we find motivation to do more and more good deeds and the courage to abandon the Nawahi(the forbidden things).Therefore Allah(SWT) has not deprived women of the blessings and spiritual benefits of belonging to an organization.Allah (SWT)says in surah al-Taubah:

                        "And the Believers ,men and women ,are protecting friends of one another;
                          they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong,and they establish worship and
                          they pay the poor due and they obey Allah and his messenger(SAW).As for
                          these ,Allah will have mercy on them.Lo!Allah is mighty ,wise ".
                                                     [Al-Quraan 9:71]
It was due to the blessings and benefits of the organizational environment that the Prohpet (SAW) took Bai'yah from Muslim women as well .As a result women felt that they were also part of an organization ,that they too were affiliated with someone ,that they also had to listen and obey the commands of the Prophet (SAW),that they also had to do good deeds,that they were under an oath,then that would breaching a covenant and held responsible for it.

Consequently ,we have a women's wing in Tanzeem e Islami and they also take Bai'yah.Our highest priority is to emulate ,in alll matters and as closely as humanly possible ,the example set by our Prophet(SAW).Consequently ,in the Tanzeem that we have formed for the purpose of bringing about an Islamic Revolution ,we expect both men and women to refrain from evil and to struggle for making Allah's word supreme and we consider both men and women as being bound by the pledge allegiance occuring in the 111th verse of Surah Al-Taubah ,However the more stricter Bai'yah  of "listening and obeying fee al maroof ",which we find in an agreed upon Hadith,has been exclusively reserved for men only .The oath administered to women is the one found in the 12th verse of Surah Mumtahanah .In the said verse ,instead of possitive demand of "listen and obey",women are asked "not to disobey" the messenger of Allah(SWT).It is easy to note that the plege of alliegiance for women is much more lenient as compared to men.

In conclusion ,women need to belong to a jama'ah and to pledge allegiance to an Ameer so that they can have self-evaluation and a consciousness of being an active participant in the struggle for the establishment of Deen.however,they are not entrusted with the responsibilty of directly taking part in the struggle.they have a comparitively more passive,but equally vital,role to play.Hence the best course of action for them is to stick to their divinely-prescribed role. 

Logical Concept Of God--By Dr Zakir Naik

Logical Concept of God:
                                                           
My First question to the atheist will be "What is the definition of God?"For a person to say there is no God ,he should know what is the meaning of God.If I hold a book and say that 'this is a pen', for the opposite person to say ,'it is not a pen',he should know what is the definition of a pen ,even if he does not know nor is able to recognise or identify the object I am holding in my hand. For him to say this is not a pen ,he should atleast know what a pen means . similarly for an atheist to say 'there is no God', he should at least know the concept of God.His concept of God would be derived from the surroundings in which he lives. The God that a large number of people worship has got human qualities-therefore he does not believe in such a god.Similarly a Muslim too does not and should not believe in such false Gods.

If a Non-Muslims believes that Islam is a merciless religion with something to do with terrorism;a religion which does not give rights to women ,a religion which contradicts science; in his limited sense that non-Muslims is correct to reject such Islam. The problem is he has a wrong picture of Islam. Even I reject such a false picture of Islam, But at the same time ,it becomes my duty as a Muslim to present the correct picture of Islam to that non-Muslim i.e Islam is a merciful religion ,it gives equal rights to a women , it is not incompatible with logic,reason and science ; If I present the correct facts about Islam,that non-Muslim may Inshallah accept Islam.

Similarly the atheist rejects the false gods and the duty of every muslim is to present the correct concept of God which he shall inshallah not refuse.

Human Rights,The West and Islam--By Maulana Maodoodi

The Western Approach
The people in the west have the habbit of attributing every good thing to themselves and try to prove that it is because of them that the world got this blessing ,otherwise the world was steeped in ignorance and completely unaware of all these benefits .Now let us look at the question of human rights.It is very loudly and vociferously claimed that the world got the concept of basic human rights from the magna carta of britain;though the Magna carta itself came in to existence six hundered years after the advent of islam.But the truth of the matter is that until the seventeenth century no one even knew that the magna carta contains the principels of Trial by jury ,habeas carpus,and the control of parliament on the right of taxation. If the people who had drafted  the magna carta were living today they would have been greatly surprised if they were told that their document also contained all these ideals and principles . They had no such intention ,nor were they concious of all these concepts which are know being attributed to them . As far as my knowledge goes the westerners had no concept of human rights and civics rights before the seventeenth century. Even after the seventeenth century the philoshphers and the thinkers on jurisprudence though presented these ideas ,the practical proof and demonstration of these concepts can only be found at the end of the eighteenth century in  the proclamationsand constitutions of France and America. After this there appeared a refrence to the basic human rights in the constitutions of diiferent countries. But more often the rights which were given on paper were not actually given to the people in real life. In the middle of the present century ,The United Nations ,which can now be more aptly and truly described as the Divided Nations,made a universal declaration of Human Rights ,and passed a resolution against genocide and framed regulations to check it . But as you all know there is not a single resolution or regulation of the United Nations which can be enforced.They are just an expression of a pious hope. They have no sanctions behind them ,no force,physical or moral to enforce them .Despite all the high sounding ambitious resolutions of the United Nations ,Human Rights have been violated and trampled upon at different places and the United Nations has been a helpless spectator.she is not in a position to exercise an effective check on the violation of Human Rights .

The Islamic Approach
The second point which i would like to clarify at the very outset is that when we speak of Human Rights in Islam we really means that these rights have been granted by God;they have not been granted by any king or by any legislative assembly .The rights granted by the kings or the legislative assemblies ,can also be withdrawn in the same manner in which they are conferred.The same is the case with the rights accepted and recognized by the dictators.They can confer them when they please and withdraw them when they wish ;and then can openly violate them when they like . But since in Islam Human Rights have been conferred by God,no legislative assembly in the world ,or any government on earth has the right or authority to make any amendment or change in the rights conferred by God. No one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw them. Nor are they  the basic Human Rights which are conferred on paper for the sake of show and exhibition and denied in actual life when the show is over . Nor or they like philosphical concepts which have no sanctions behind them.

The character and the proclamations and the resolutions of the United Nations cannot be compared with the rights sanctioned by God ;because the former is not applicable to anybody while the latter is applicable to every believer .They are a part and parcel of the islamic Faith. Every Muslim or Administrators who claim themselves to be Muslims will have to accept ,recognize and enforce them .if they fail to enforce them and start denying the rights that have been guranteed by God or make amendments and changes in them ,or practically violate them while paying lip-service to them ,the verdict of the Holy Qura'n for such governments is clear and unequivocal:

Those who do not judge by what God has sent down are the dis Believers (Kafirun).5:44 The Following verse also proclaims :"They are the wrong-doers (Zalimun)"(5:45),while a third verse in the same chapter says :"They are the evil-livers(Fasiqun) "(5:47).In other words this means that if the temporal authorities regard their own words and decisions to be right and those given by God as wrong they ase disbelievers .If on the other hand they regard God's commands as right but wittingly reject them and enforce their own decisions against God's ,then they are they mischief-makers and the wrong -doers. Fasiq the Law Breaker ,is the one who disregards the bond of allegiance ,and zalim is he who works against the truth .Thus all those temporal authorties  who claim to be Muslims and yet violate the rights sanctioned by God belong to one of these two categories,either they have the disbelievers or the wrong-doers and mischief-makers.The Rights which have been sanctioned by God are permanent ,perpetual and eternal.